January 24, 2010

This was a musical weekend with SWP daughter #1. Friday night was saw a solo acoustic performance by Scott Miller, a country-ish, rocker-ish at a local venue, the Mucky Duck. I am mainly familiar with him through his recordings with his band, The Commonwealth, and most of the songs he performed Friday were SM&C tunes.

He was an excellent musician, and entertainer. He had a very cynical, jaded attitude, which was actually quite funny. He put everything into the show.

He performed two Civil War-themed songs, and one about Sam Houston. Not everyday that you hear a song about the travails of the Confederate defenders of the Mule Shoe at Spottsylvania on May 12, 1864, facing a massive Union attack in the dripping woods with muskets rendered useless by rain-soaked powder.

Last night went to a more conventional show, by Everclear at the Houston House of Blues. Everclear has been a favorite of mine since 1995. The only original band member is frontman Art Alexakis, who’s almost as old as I am, and definitely has much higher mileage:) The rest of the band could probably be his kids. Nonetheless, he put on a very energetic show, hitting most of the best Everclear songs including Santa Monica, Volvo Driving Soccer Mom, Father of Mine, Heroin Girl, etc. Only song I was really hoping to hear but didn’t was Rock Star. And Local God and The Drama King. Alexakis is an excellent songwriter, and it was great to hear songs I’ve listened to zillions of times live.

The lead off band was one of the best I’ve ever heard, Clayton Senne. He/they were infectious, playing mostly high tempo, singable/danceable tunes. The drummer was a kick. Mr. Happy, banging away with abandon, all the while a big ol’ sh*t eating grin on this face. His very wide face: saw him downstairs after the show, and he was about as wide as was tall. But he was great, as was lead singer and keyboardist Senne. Like my daughter said, it was like a great combination of Something Corporate and Ben Folds.

Sat upstairs in the balcony, instead of standing on the main floor. In some sense, probably a good idea after standing at the Mucky Duck for the entire 2 hour show on Friday. Though I have to say, a good fraction of the people up there sat stock still in their seats. How is that possible, when a good band is putting on a good, high tempo show? And if you just want to sit motionless, why spend 50 clams when you could do that at home for free? I don’t get it.

Congratulations on your good taste, Jack I like the venue fine. Sound was good, sightlines good too. Can’t really say that I like attendants in the washroom at a rock concert, though. Seems out of place/wrong in some way.

Looked like folks were having fun down on the floor. Like I said, a few too many sticks-in-the-mud upstairs.

The attendents are there to prevent revellers from engaging in illegal activity, I think the club gets a hefty insurance premium cut that more than makes up for the cost of staffing them. I’d still rather go to warehouse live though!

Didn’t think of that. Would be an interesting test of a particular economic theory (efficiency wage theory) to see whether the attendants are paid a wage premium to give them an incentive not to accept rather large “tips” to see no evil:)

Yes, Warehouse is better. Dropkick Murphys are playing there on March 2. But I (we) have class that nite, dammit.